Down ‘N Dirty: Helly Hansen Vanir Heta 2.5L Women’s Jacket

Two weeks ago, I was trudging through a pretty gnarly mid-morning windstorm on a wide-open prairie in central Nebraska. Not only was the springtime weather chilly, but the wind carried that chill and transformed it into a bitter cold that attacked any part of your body that wasn’t covered in some sort of windproof material. As the morning turned to afternoon, the rain blew in — and scattered showers marred the rest of the day. While this type of weather can definitely be an adventure-ruiner this time of year, I was prepared, and protected by Helly Hansen’s Vanir Heta 2.5L Women’s Jacket. This soft-shell jacket is windproof, water-resistant, breathable, and an excellent piece of gear to always keep in your backpack and on your travels, no matter where they might take you. It packs up nicely, has deep reinforced pockets that keep your phone and other goodies securely stashed while traversing along trails, and features reflective details throughout the jacket to keep you visible and safe during whatever activity you might be out enjoying.

MSRP: $160

**While currently out of stock, the Helly Hansen Vanir Heta 2.5L Women’s Jacket will return Helly Hansen’s inventory on April 7.

Pros: The best feature of the jacket is its ability to completely block out the wind. I bring this jacket on every adventure I go on for this specific reason. While dealing with some harsh weather conditions in the midwest, I threw the Vanir Heta 2.5L jacket over my puffy and stayed warm and dry throughout the day. On a slightly chilly start to a spring morning, I layer this jacket over a moisture-wicking base layer before heading out on a run. The combination of 2.5 layer performance fabrics make this jacket a great piece of outdoor apparel that holds up to most conditions, and also moves with your body, eliminating stiffness and noise when running on the trails on cruising on a bike. The Vanir Heta 2.5L’s design also includes articulated sleeves for better mobility, and a comfortable and flattering elongated length.

Cons: This jacket is exceptionally well-thought out, and is such a versatile piece of gear, that I haven’t experienced many cons with it. It’s held up its end of the bargain on every adventure that I’ve been on over the past few months, except for one very rainy hike in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. After an hour of hiking in a downpour, the water started to penetrate the jacket ever so slightly, but still kept me from completely getting drenched.

Where We Took It: On early morning and late evening sand hill crane viewings in central Nebraska, spring snowboarding in Whitefish, Montana, and running and hiking on local trails in Colorado.